The Proposal Story

Where do I even begin with this story!?! I wish we were all just hanging out in Yogurtland so I could tell you in person because I’ve got a whole lot to say—> grab a snack and your water bottle and let’s get started.  PS I was thinking about it the other day and there sure have been a lot of huge life changes on my blog over the years, thanks for sticking around for them all.  I am beyond excited for you to get know Andrew better because he is the best of the best.

First, I introduced Andrew on the blog when I knew that the proposal was getting closer.  We both knew from ehhhhhh about the third date that this was it but I didn’t bring him on here until after we had already gone ring shopping.  I showed him the general idea of what I loved and he designed this ring on his own. My forearms are actually sore from the fact that 90% of the day I am angling my hand up so that I can stare at my ring.

It’s still kind of crazy to me how easy this decision has been for me.  Over the last year or so I always felt like Brooke and I were happy and a perfect little family together and the ONLY WAY I was going to ever get married again was if the person could add to our happiness and fit every item on my checklist (which he completely does plus a whole lot more).  I wasn’t going to get married to get married, I had to find that perfect for me person if I was going to get married.

I always tell Andrew that my decision over which bag of candy to get at 7-11 is a heck of a lot harder of a decision than the decision to marry him.  I can’t imagine going a day without him and the way he treats Brooke too… it is better than my wildest dreams.  As you can all remember, there were some extreme lows after my divorce and I lost hope about 30 times over the years that there was never going to be someone like Andrew but he came at the perfect time.  So, have hope.  If you are going through hurt and loneliness, it truly gets so much better than you can ever imagine.

God’s plan is the best plan.  Andrew was beyond worth the wait and every tear along the way until I met him.  I’d do it all over again in a heart beat if I had to.

A few weeks ago I told Andrew that my dream proposal included just the two of us doing something that we loved to do together.  He totally agreed and like everything pretty much… we were on the same page.  So, I really don’t have a lot of pictures (ehhh… any from that night really) but I’ll tell you about it in words instead.

I really didn’t think it was going to happen this last weekend as we were driving down to St. George because he had a really good story about why the ring wasn’t ready yet and it was quite believable.  We started Saturday off in Salt Lake City together with his parents and then drove straight down to St. George.  We got to his brothers house and hung out with them for a bit and then Andrew asked whether or not I wanted to go out that night, just in case I was tired.  Because he played it off like it wasn’t a big deal or not to go out, I really didn’t think it was going to happen that night but I told him I wanted to go out for sure.  We hit up our favorite restaurant for loads of carbs and then he drove me about 30 minutes to a lake.

He had already purchased a little boat and we took it out on the lake.  At this point it was like 10 pm and we went out on the boat to star gaze (that is our absolute favorite thing to do together) and talk about everything.  We were out on the lake (there was no one else out there) for a while and we saw a bunch of shooting stars.  The stars were crazy bright because we were pretty far from any other city.

After the boat ride we went on a little hike to explore around the hills for awhile.  He then started to say ridiculously sweet things but I still wasn’t thinking he was going to propose because that is Andrew for you… he is so good at communicating with me how he feels about me.  He did seem a little bit different but I couldn’t figure out what it was (I think he was a little bit nervous) and at one point I was turned facing the other way and when I turned back around he was down on one knee and I screamed I was so excited.  It was perfect.  I was freaking out, I was so happy and I said yes probably 50 times in a row:)

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He went over and talked to my parents (to ask my dad for permission;) last Wednesday and ended up talking to them for over 1.5 hours and my parents could not be any more thrilled about him being a part of our family.  I really wish you could meet him because he is something else.

Brooke gave her permission too:)  She asks about him all day long while he is at work.  She wants to know when he will be coming over that day.  I say 500 prayers of gratitude a day that Brooke will have such an amazing step-dad.

So there ya have it.  We are getting married on August 20th (when you know you know and I can’t wait any longer) and our reception will have donuts there so get ready to hear about all of this over the next few months (and for me to ask you a million questions because I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to wedding planning).

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We will be staying in the same area that I live right now and I literally cannot wait to start our life together married.

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And best of all… we will be a family of 5.  Andrew has a little boy about a month younger than Brooke and they are the best of friends (and I absolutely love him).  They play nonstop for hours together and we both feel like we get the biggest bonus ever having such an amazing little family already (the fifth member being the pup.. she came down to St. George too;) from the very beginning.

We’ve got a pretty incredible future up ahead.

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And before I let you go today, let’s talk about our run yesterday.

We told ourselves we were going to start our run at 7 a.m. to beat the heat.  We said we were going to do 10 miles and bring money to stop at gas stations along the way for water.  Did we do any of those things?  No.

We left at 9 a.m. It was 75 degrees plus.  We didn’t get any water.  We ran 7 miles instead but at least it was gorgeous out and I had my favorite running partner ever with me.

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You know it is a hot run when you stop to put your hair in the sprinklers to try to cool off.

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After our run we went swimming (I don’t hate that he is a a sour candy person too… and it made for the perfect post-run snack ha) before driving home to get our kiddos.

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I hope you are having a fabulous Tuesday and we will talk again real soon!

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Share any proposal stories…. I LOVE reading these!!

Can someone plan everything for us?   We just want to get married, I want an awesome dress and good food.  Thanks:)

Hottest race you have ever done before?  How does your body handle the heat while running?  Would you rather run in the extreme cold or the extreme heat?

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202 comments

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You DESERVE this!!!! congratulations to your family of 5!!!!!

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Congrats Janae!! So exciting!! You deserve all the happiness he is clearly bringing you and Brooke.

Also, thanks for the shout out to the single girls who have not yet found the right person to partner with in life. I also hope that I can find someone who adds to my life, since, post divorce, I have finally become incredibly happy with just being on my own, which means the guy will have to be incredibly special to make my life even better ;)

Congrats again!

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Adorable story! Congratulations on such an amazing milestone! It’s funny how amazing life can turn out to be even after the rough times, but they’re always worth it!

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It’s so funny because the though of you getting engaged ran through my mind randomly today & then I wake up to this! Congratulation!!

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Congrats!! Happy for you!! You guys are adorable! Sheesh!!

Hottest run: The Bedlam 5k one July in OK!! Feels like lunacy to run in OK in JUly or Aug. I def prefer cold ANY day!! My body feels sluggish and heavy and bowed down in the heat

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Yay! I got engaged a year ago today and we are finally getting married 9/3! We wanted to wait for me to finish grad school- I think a short engagement is the way to go. We are doing a candy buffet for our wedding favor (my fiance is a candy fanatic) and I think donuts sound awesome! I’ve loved wedding planning so ask away!

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Congratulations! So happy for you!! You give me hope:)

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YAY! I am so excited for you! And I love that he is already a dad and knows the ropes! This is perfect!WOOT WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the part with the boat and the shooting stars, I know you didn’t have pictures but I could see it in my head! And it was amazing!

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Congratulations to you both!!! I literally squealed with excitement when I saw your post. I absolutely love following you on this blog & am so happy that you’re happy! Also, kudos on findings an Andrew. I just married my Andrew in February & it was the best decision ever! We got married quickly after getting engaged too! Don’t let anyone tell you that a short engagment is crazy. I could NEVER have drug out wedding planning more than the 2.5 months that we had. Go with your gut like you did on picking Andrew & your wedding will be perfect!

Congratulations again!!

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I am usually more of a reader than a commenter, but I had to leave some love today :) I’m SO happy for you both!! He seems so sweet and I love seeing you so happy, especially after going through a tough few years. It’s wonderful that he gets along so well with your family and adores Brooke. And it’s REALLY wonderful that he treats you so well – you certainly deserve it after everything! I can’t wait to hear about all the wedding plans!! Yayyy!!!!

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So exciting!!!! My husband proposed by going on a picnic with me which is what we did on our first date-it was perfect! And we had krispy Krems doughnuts at our reception-a big hit! And strawberry cake and it was good too! Weddings are so fun!!

I have a race saturday-it will be hot but I prefer hot over cold for running.

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Krispy kreme-oops!

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Congratulations Janae and Andrew! This is such wonderful news, Janae! It was so heartbreaking to witness your pain through the divorce and it’s so beautiful to witness the end result as it is. May God bless the both of you through your marriage!

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Aw! Such an adorable proposal story! I love this! And, you truly do look so happy in the pics. Congrats!

Can’t wait to hear all about the wedding day preparations!

And, yeah I totally live in Tampa where it feels like it is 200 degrees all summer long. ;) No, but seriously, most of my training is done in hot weather. It’s never fun, but it does get easier.

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Congratulations. How romantic!! I am so happy for you :)

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I got engaged in March in Siesta Key, FL on the beach at sunset with my immediate family surrounding us! I was very surprised and had no idea. We never looked at rings and he picked out the perfect one for me! I am SO happy you found him and that you will have a great family!! Congrats again, so exciting!!!

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Wow what an amazing story!! I am so happy for you! I got engaged in my apartment, at 6am before leaving for a vacation. I am crazy about making lists before we go away and checking everything off them, so when I wasn’t looking he added “get engaged” at the bottom of the list and then told me I forgot something. I started telling him how I had already checked everything off my list and there was no way I forgot anything, when he showed it to me and I saw what he wrote. Then he got down and proposed and I was so surprised and excited! We left for our vacation and didnt tell anyone else for hours- it was kind of nice having it as just the two of us knowing for awhile!
Congrats again! Cant wait to hear about your wedding plans!

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Ahhh! How stinking awesome! :D Congratulations!

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This is amazing news! You look so happy…and I’m so happy for you!

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This made me smile really big :)
What a sweet, sweet story. Congrats again!!

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I’ve been reading your blog since before Brooke was born, and I am SO HAPPY you found someone so special (with a dog nontheless). Congrats on your engagement! You can really see that you share a special bond in the photos you posted.
I can definitely relate to the ‘when you know you know’ though for me and my boyfriend (also called Andrew) it was more like: let’s move in together after seeing each other 3 times – I actually moved to Australia for him!
It’s amazing you had so courage to get engaged so quickly, we didn’t have to do the guts to do that just yet, but will this year – finally ;)

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Janae I am so happy for you!!!!! Congrats!

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Congratulation, Janae! What a sweetly romantic story. Your happiness truly shows!

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I’m so excited for you Janae!! I’ve been following you since pre-Brooke. Your divorce was so heart breaking and I’m so glad you found the right guy who is just as excited to be a father figure to Brooke. My mom and step dads anniversary is on August 20th (they got married when I was 5, when it was just me and my mom)! And they’re going on 21 years so I’d say it’s a good day! ❤️?

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Congratulations to you both! I am so happy for you. My hottest race ever was this past weekend – the Vermont City Marathon – which was cancelled at the 4 hour mark.

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Congratulations, Janae. I am so happy for you. What a lovely proposal. I am delighted you and Andrew will have a beautiful family together.

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Congratulations!! My husband and I got engaged pretty quickly too, but like you said when you know, you just know. My husband actually surprised me at the Mesa Temple during Christmas lights. It was drizzling but we decided to go see the lights anyway, and my husband surprised me in the middle of a bunch of purple lights (my favorite color). The missionaries noticed and took a bunch of pictures for us, which was unexpected but amazing! We take our kids back to that spot every Christmas :)

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Wow Brooke! Congratulations! I love how guys have a way of fooling the girl till the last few minutes, and it’s SO precious to see you so joyful. He seems like he will be an incredibly special daddy to Brooke. <3 God is good.

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Beautiful!

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So happy for you, Janae! You deserve the best of the best!

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Yay, Janae! I have been reading your blog for a long time and I have to say I am so thrilled that you have found the happiness you deserve. This goes to show that time does heal, that having faith pays off, and that true happiness even after the darkest of times is always possible. Enjoy every bit of this!

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Omg, so amazing! Your ring is ideal. :) You will have to tell us how you two met! <3

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Congratulations! I’ve been following your blog for a very long time, and I could not be happier for you. When you know, you just know.
I knew from the moment I looked at my husband that I was going to marry him. I never wanted to get married before I met him, but being married to him has been amazing. He proposed when we were on a little wine tour (just us and our dog). I knew it was coming… but was still taken totally by surprise. We took our dog for a walk and sat down for a bit, overlooking one of the FingerLakes. He told me he had something in his pocket for me and I thought it was gum because we had just had garlic breadsticks and my breath must’ve been horrible. Nope, it was a gorgeous sparkling ring! He asked if he should get on one knee, then kinda awkwardly squatted down. I couldn’t stop laughing (my reaction to everything surprising). It was amazing. We’ve been married for just over two years now! <3

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I am so excited for you both! I love being married :) and yay for a family of five-that is so exciting.
My husband and I had a three month engagement and we were able to get everything done on time! ;) We had a dessert buffet, with homemade pies, cookies, and some light peach tea punch.
Cannot wait to hear all about your wedding and all plans!

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Your happiness is contagious & I am so excited for you guys! What a great way for Andrew to propose to you :) Thank you for sharing your story and I am so happy to come along for the ride!

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I am so insanely happy for you!!!!!

I know I don’t know you in real life, but your blog has meant so much to me, given me so much hope. I seriously cried when I read this and am grateful that you have such an amazing love in your life!!!!

Can’t wait to see pictures of the wedding :) And continue reading your blog. Thank you for being an incredible person in the world. So happy for you and Andrew and Brooke!

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Congratulations!! :)

My fiance proposed on our 4 year dating anniversary. He planned a nice day for us. In the morning we went on a hike (the same hike we did the first time we hung out together) and he made me a picnic. Later in the day we went to the Griffith Observatory here in LA, which is one of my favorite places. We saw a planetarium show and then he asked me while we were standing outside looking at the view and the sunset. I’m being really lazy about planning anything, though. I’m sure we’ll get married eventually :P

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OMG Janae this is the BEST news!!! Congrats!!! So happy for all of you!

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Hi Janae! I feel like such a weirdo for being so happy for someone I’ve never even met! Haha. I’ve followed your blog since the beginning and it has been such a bright spot in my day to read about your adventures. . . I think the biggest thing I’ve taken away is to always be happy and grateful, even when going through trials. Life circumstances can change so quickly. Congratulations!!!

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Congrats Janae! I’m so incredibly happy for you! Can’t wait to hear more about everything in Oregon next month. xo

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I love your proposal story. My hubby proposed to me when we went to visit Napa. He proposed at an amazing seclusion winery and it was perfect. The rest of the trip we just celebrated. His best friend and his gf at the time also came and he captured the whole thing with his Nikon camera. Happy wedding planning!!

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Loveliest Janae, CONGRATULATIONS on your wonderful news and the start of this new and exciting chapter. I’ve been one of your ‘not in real life but via the blog’ friends for yonks now and feel like part of your squad even though we’ve never met, ha ha. Andrew is so handsome and you look like a perfect pair, but most importantly it sounds like he is a really kind and full-hearted man and that is what you and Brooke deserve. Enjoy it all as much as possible! I’m so pleased for you and sending happy vibes from across the ocean.
I had a rough relationship ride until I met my fiancé a few years ago and got to experience true love and happiness – it sounds super cheesy but he really is my other half. He proposed before Christmas in Central Park while we were on holiday in NYC (we’re from England/Germany) and when he started to propose I also wondered at first what on earth he was doing / talking about until he got down on one knee… as you said, easiest question I’ve ever had to answer!
Sometimes I feel so blessed that I worry something will go ‘wrong’ just to even out the score, but reading your story and your excitement for a future together inspires me to BELIEVE that it is ‘ok’ to really be THAT HAPPY :-) Also, if it helps, I have to plan a wedding too and have NO IDEA what I’m doing. But if you’re marrying the right person, the rest is just a bonus, right?!
Take care and have a lovely day, all love and best wishes Lucy

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I’m super late to this “proposal party” but WOOOOO HOOOO for both of you. It is true; some times you just know. My husband and I are each on our second marriage. We were together about 1 1/2 years before he proposed. He proposed in April and we were married in June. Just family and a couple of friends this time around since we both had bigger weddings the first time around. It was perfect for us and he is still perfect for me. It isn’t always easy and it isn’t always without its up and downs but it is worth it every step of the way.

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I am so happy for you and Andrew!!!! What an amazing joy to have in your life! You deserve it, girl!! Congratulations!!! :) :) :) :) :)

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I am JUST catching up! OMG,tears over here..what a PERFECT match! And now you even have your dog!! :) Wishing you all so much happiness..he sounds like a wonderdul person. <3

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I have been reading your blog and following along the way since 2010. Girl, I am SO HAPPY for you!!!! I just teared up watching the video of Brooke and Andrew. I’m truly so happy for you. <3 <3 <3

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First time reader and visit to your website. I follow you on Instagram and wanted to read on the proposal. It was so strange reading it because everything about your story is SO similar to mine (including the ring). I don’t know how long y’all have been dating but my fiance proposed after 13 months and i am SO in love. What I love the most is that he loves God. The proposal happened on 5/27 and it was during our visit to Enchanted Rock. We talked about how we wanted to take a hike to that rock and visit the old town of Fredericksburg (in TX). Well, he improvised and got down on one knee once we reached the summit. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing at the surprise, along with tears of joy. Luckily he caught it all on video too! We’re also having a short engagement, our wedding is on 9/17. We’re having a small ceremony followed by a dinner reception, both at a fine dining restaurant. I’m just looking forward to that day when i get to be his wife as we’re surrounded by our family and closest friends.

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Dear Gorgeous HRG,
I haven’t visited your blog in months… and I am just teary eyed over here and so happy for you and the fact you are re-married and so happy! You are just so darling and inspiring. I know you have no idea who I am but I wanted to say congratulations and you really do deserve every happiness. xoxo

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